Friday, March 30, 2007
Kelp-Huggers
I have been in love with the underwater world, either as a snorkeler or scuba diver, for as long as I can remember. I have never been much of an environmentalist, however, and the extent of my activism in the past has been little more than the occasional editorial. In recent years, I've noticed the dive industry take an increasingly environmentalist slant, at least based on the subject matter of many dive publications. And when I got involved with Oceanblue Divers, I noted that this organization also focused on environmental issues as one of its missions.
I was ambivalent about all of this; I like the environment as much as the next guy, but I'm no activist. An editorial in Dive Training magazine ("Kelp-Huggers Unite!", April 2007) really brought it all home for me, however, and made me see the connection between scuba diving and environmentalism in a whole new light. Writer Alex Brylske made the point that, for many (if not most) divers, the magic of diving comes from the very environment in which they put themselves on every dive. It is this otherworldly setting, and the weird and wonderful creatures that inhabit it, that make diving the amazing and awe-inspiring sport that it is.
So, for that reason, environmental issues are of paramount importance -- and relevance -- to scuba diving, unlike with most other sports. If global warming means less snow for skiiers, snowmaking machines can make up the difference. If a drought dries out the sod on the 18th hole, that's easily solved by adding more seed and more sprinklers. But if environmental damage wipes out a coral reef, or if overfishing drives sharks to the brink of extinction, there's not much we can do to salvage our sport (though, I guess, we can always design bigger and better swimming pools to dive in).
Whether you call yourself a true "Kelp-Hugger" with salt water in your veins, or you're simply an occasional diver, environmental issues are directly relevant to you and the sport you love. And in the spirit of such awareness, and in observance of Earth Day 2007 (Sunday, April 22) we are planning a slew of environmental events for the month of April: a Beach Cleanup, participation in "Sea of People," a "Save the Whale Sharks" reception with the Shark Research Institute, and much more. Stay tuned for more info -- and go hug a strand of kelp!
I was ambivalent about all of this; I like the environment as much as the next guy, but I'm no activist. An editorial in Dive Training magazine ("Kelp-Huggers Unite!", April 2007) really brought it all home for me, however, and made me see the connection between scuba diving and environmentalism in a whole new light. Writer Alex Brylske made the point that, for many (if not most) divers, the magic of diving comes from the very environment in which they put themselves on every dive. It is this otherworldly setting, and the weird and wonderful creatures that inhabit it, that make diving the amazing and awe-inspiring sport that it is.
So, for that reason, environmental issues are of paramount importance -- and relevance -- to scuba diving, unlike with most other sports. If global warming means less snow for skiiers, snowmaking machines can make up the difference. If a drought dries out the sod on the 18th hole, that's easily solved by adding more seed and more sprinklers. But if environmental damage wipes out a coral reef, or if overfishing drives sharks to the brink of extinction, there's not much we can do to salvage our sport (though, I guess, we can always design bigger and better swimming pools to dive in).
Whether you call yourself a true "Kelp-Hugger" with salt water in your veins, or you're simply an occasional diver, environmental issues are directly relevant to you and the sport you love. And in the spirit of such awareness, and in observance of Earth Day 2007 (Sunday, April 22) we are planning a slew of environmental events for the month of April: a Beach Cleanup, participation in "Sea of People," a "Save the Whale Sharks" reception with the Shark Research Institute, and much more. Stay tuned for more info -- and go hug a strand of kelp!
Subscribe to Posts [Atom]
